I Am Ready
by DustinandMarahForLife
Summary: It's Marius' time and he's ready to be with his friends once more...


Disclaimer: Yes, Yes, we all know. I don't own anything in his story (Cept the bed. I take that with me!)  
  
Note: This made me cry writing this, but I *was* listening to 'Empty Chairs At Empty Tables' at the time, *sob* But anyway, it's my first Les Mis fanfiction. Enjoy! (Plz review too) *tee-hee*  
  
I Am Ready.  
  
June 6th, 1872. Marius couldn't believe it, even now; forty years later, he still yearned for his friends to be there with him. He was sixty- two this year and he knew he wouldn't make it to his birthday. His once bright blue eyes had dimmed and were grey, his hair no longer wavy and brown, but a dark grey and thinning. But he still held the youth he once had in his face. His eyes still shone when he smiled, and his manner of ways never changed from back when his was a teenager. But now, here he lay, in his four-poster bed waiting until it's his time to sleep.  
  
He closed his eyes and the images he saw there weren't new, he saw his friends as they prepared for the battle to come. He smiled as he recalled Enjolras standing up causing the room to silence, a smile traced across his lips . . .  
  
"Do you hear the people sing?  
Singing the song of angry men.  
It is the music of the people,  
Who will not be slaves again!"  
  
Marius sighed lightly, he knew, even back then, they wouldn't win. But still, he fought for freedom; a small hope in his heart was that they could overcome the opposition. Or at least, make people see, freedom is worth dying for. He breathed,  
  
"When the beating of your heart, echoes the beating of the drum, there  
is a life about to start . . . when –"  
  
"-Tomorrow comes."  
  
Marius' eyes flickered open and he saw Cosette move to the edge of the bed. "Cosette . . ."  
  
Cosette looked at Marius through her tear strained eyes. "Marius." She tried to smile.  
  
Marius smiled, "please, smile for me. I don't want to spend my last moments with you like this."  
  
Cosette couldn't stop the sudden rush of tears that fell down her cheeks. Her eyes were still chocolate brown, and her dark hair was lightened through age. She had little wrinkles around her eyes were she failed to sleep, in fear Marius would slip away if she did.  
  
"Marius . . . please. Don't say that. You will live!"  
  
Marius shook his head and sat up slowly, with the aid of Cosette. "It's my time. I know it is, please, don't be frightened."  
  
"How can I not be? You're all I have left!"  
  
Marius looked at her and smiled softly. "Our children will still be here, and our grandchildren. You need to be here for them."  
  
"So do you!"  
  
"It's too late for me now. I'll be with my friends, and I'll watch you from above."  
  
Cosette closed her eyes and rested her head on his arm. She didn't even want to imagine a life without Marius. Now it was truly going to happen.  
  
Marius inhaled sharply and held his chest; Cosette shot up and touched his hand. "Marius?"  
  
Marius shook his head; he felt his body slowing down. "Cosette . . . it's time."  
  
Cosette felt like her heart was going to explode, he was talking so softly, as if nothing was wrong. "No!"  
  
Marius looked at her, it hurt him to see her like this, but he knew it would be over soon. "Yes. I love you Cosette, always have, and always will. Don't ever forget. Promise me you won't forget."  
  
"I promise! I promise! I won't ever forget!" Cosette lost what little control she had left. "Please don't die!"  
  
Marius smiled lightly and laid back down, he held out his arm to her. She crawled next to him and looked at him. Marius smiled down at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I am ready."  
  
Cosette watched as the light in his eyes dimmed, she tried to stay strong. She smiled to him, knowing the last image he would see was her. "I love you."  
  
There was no reply; when she looked at him, he was gone. All that was left was the shell of his body; she broke down and stayed in his arms.  
  
Marius opened his eyes and looked around, he was no longer lying with Cosette, in fact, he was standing next to his body and Cosette. He smiled "I love you too . . ."  
  
"M'sieur Marius?"  
  
Marius looked at himself, he seemed real in his mind, he looked at his hands, and the youth was restored. His hair was wavy and dark brown, his eyes the bright baby blue colour they started as.  
  
"M'sieur Marius?"  
  
Marius looked up, that voice was so familiar. He smiled; it was the voice he had longed to hear since she was lost. "'Ponine!" He turned and saw Eponine standing in front of him, no longer in the rags he remembered her in. Now she was in a long white gown. Her hair was the chestnut colour he remembered, and flowing over her shoulders, her smile as bright as ever.  
  
"Good day M'sieur Marius. How are you?"  
  
Marius ran to her and picked her up in his arms, he swung her around and laughed. "Eponine Thénardier. Stop calling me M'sieur!"  
  
Eponine smiled and hugged him. "Marius, then, how are you?" She tilted her head and looked up into his eyes.  
  
"I'm great. I'm not suffering."  
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
"Wait!" He looked back at Cosette, who was still weeping into his body. He walked over and brushed his hand along her hair. "I love you Cosette, always and forever."  
  
He turned back to Eponine. "I am ready."  
  
Eponine smiled and held out her hand. "Take my hand, I'll lead you to salvation. Take my love, for love is everlasting. And remember, the truth that once was spoken . . . To love another person is to see the face of God."  
  
Marius smiled and took her hand; he was blinded by a bright white light for a short time and suddenly found himself back at the Café Musain. "Where are we?"  
  
Eponine smiled. "Home."  
  
"Do you hear the people sing?  
Lost in the valley of the night?  
It is the music of the people who are climbing to the light.  
For the wretched of the earth, there is a flame that never dies.  
Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise!"  
  
Marius looked around him; the voices were getting stronger and louder. He smiled as he recognised a familiar voice . . .  
  
"They will live again in freedom, in the garden of the Lord.  
They will walk behind the ploughshare; they will put away the sword.  
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward."  
  
Marius watched Enjolras' spirit appear next to Eponine, he was still in his 'revolutionary' clothes. Enjolras smiled. "Welcome Home Marius."  
  
Marius sighed and smiled. He watched his other friends appear from the darkness and his eyes started to fill with tears of joy. "Home . . ."  
  
Grantaire stood forward and rested his hand on Marius' shoulder. "Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?"  
  
Enjolras smiled and stepped forward. "Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?"  
  
Suddenly the whole room filled with the voices of all those who died at the barricade . . .  
  
"Do you hear the people sing?  
Say, do you hear the distant drums?  
It is the future that they bring,  
When tomorrow comes!"  
  
Marius looked around; he was home. His friends were all with him. He hugged Enjolras and then Grantaire. He turned to Enjolras. "So this is where you lot were hiding?"  
  
"We've been with you all along Marius."  
  
Eponine smiled. "Now we can celebrate, tomorrow has finally arrived!" She giggled as Marius picked her back up and spun her around. "Are you ready to welcome tomorrow with open arms?"  
  
Marius knew what he had to do, he laughed and looked at all his friends.  
  
"I am ready." 


End file.
